Beginning Of The Flames
by JennaArmstrong87
Summary: She doesn't even know how beautiful she is. She doesn't know what it's like to look at her every day and not tell her. I wish she knew how her eyes shine in the sun, and how her smile lights up the room. I can't help but wonder what it would feel like to have her in my arms, to feel her lips on mine. Cato/Katniss
1. Chapter 2

_1-1-2. 1-1-2 _I recite in my head as I throw punch after punch at the beaten down punching bag at the gym down the street from my house.

"Cato you've been here all bloody day, time you go home" I hear my boxing coach, Brutus's raspy voice loud and clear through the near empty gym. But I keep throwing punches as if I never heard. The reason is, I don't want to go home. Not to them.

I can hear my punches echo as they hit the punching bag over and over. My blood runs cold as I think what awaits me at _home._

Ever since I was eight is was in and out of the foster care system now at 17 I am still being sent to different homes constantly. I get my name out of the system when I turn eighteen on the 28th of October next year. The people I stay with now are a not exactly...fond of me. Mostly because of my past. I was taken away from my mother due to her addiction on all different kinds of drugs. Real 'meth head' they used to call her. But when she overdosed that nickname expired. I guess they didn't think it was appropriate to call her that anymore. I loved my mother with all my being even though I only known her for seven years of my life.

"Boy, I said leave!" I hear Brutus yell from the outlines of the ring.

My head whips to the side and I can see his knuckles turning white against the ropes surrounding the edges. He's getting ready to explode. I back away from the bag and slowly leave the ring. Its not everyday you see Brutus this mad. Usually he's like my second father because I never really had a dad growing up. He is usually kind, its hard to get him mad.

As I rip the Velcro straps off of the boxing gloves I am wearing I hear a soft voice come from behind me.

"Sorry Hun, Brutus isn't having a good day" Enobaria's caring voice calls out from the back. Brutus gives a dark chuckle before yelling something about how someone smashed his car in with a baseball bat. Well he does live in one of the worst parts of town.

I sling my workout bag over my shoulder as I push the solid door of the gym out of my way. The street lights blink and shudder as a four-door pick up truck rolls quietly by aside form the stones crunching under the tires. I can make out their smirks as I walk to my foster home.

I adjust the workout bag as I turn and look at the house I am staying in. The porch light shudders as I walk up the stairs. I hear the occasional flutter of the moths wings as they bounce off of the light bulb above my head.

I walk through the house and peek around the corner to see my foster parents sitting on the couch talking furiously with each other. I decide not to listen in on what they have to say. 'What you don't know can't hurt you' My mother used to always say.

I creep up the old wooden stairs and slip through my door so no one notices me. I pull the heavy workout bag off my muscled sholder and drop it beside my now closed door. I move over to my bed and sit on the edge, the bed's springs creek under my weight every time I shift my body. I reach over to the bedside table I was given and pick up my phone.

**'Party at my place. Get your ass here now there's a hot chick here I think you'll like ;)' -Marvel.**

I read over the text from one of my best buds. I guess I could go, I mean my foster parents are still screaming at each other I doubt they will notice me come down the stairs.

My fingers race over the screen as I finish typing I press the send button and slip on a clean pair of clothes and look at my phone one more time before slipping it into the back of my jean pocket.

**'Be there in 5' -Cato.**


	2. New! :)))))

As I step into my friend Marvel's house a thick wall of cheap smelling cologne and alcohol hit me almost instantly.

"Man, you have to see this new girl" Marvel says while placing his arm on my shoulder and leaning on me as he downs what's rest in the cup he was holding in his other hand.

Before I can utter a single word out of my mouth he practically drags me to his kitchen as we pass through the living room I see speakers lined up on the wall blasting music as people swarm around them while dancing with drinks in their hands.

"She's in here. Your going to lose your breath once you see her." Marvel says while picking up a new beer and popping open the lid as I look around the room for this so called 'beauty'

I decided I was going to get a beer from the fridge since Marvel has disappeared somewhere. I push my way through the large group of people and pop open the fridge door. As I shut the door with my foot while I hold my beer in hand, I hear the voice of Gale Hawthorne the schools 'man whore' as Marvel and I refer to him.

"Come back to my place?" I hear him slur in his speech telling me he's wasted. He's casually leaning against the wall with a beer in hand as he chats up his next 'meal'

"Sure babe" I hear a purr who sounded fully aware of what they're accepting to.

"Come on then" Gale slurs and pulls the girl out through the nearest exit.

I really don't understand how that guy gets girls at every party he attends. He's probably slept with half the girls who attend our high school. There's been a few rumours that he has a daughter who was born last year I think the mothers name was Jessica... I forget her last name though.

I move through the doorway and end up in Marvel's living room. The fireplace is now covered in spilt drinks and half empty bottles. The table that once sat in front of the couch is now placed in the corner and has speakers piled on top one another. I scan the room looking for Marvel and see him in a crowd of people. I make my way through the drunken high school students and find myself beside Marvel.

"Cool party." I sort of congratulate him.

"Thanks" He says as he looks around at the people around him.

Suddenly there's red, blue and white lights flashing outside the doors. Shit...

"Cops!" Someone shouts.

"Okay everyone I need you guys to hide. Hide anywhere closets, behind doors, anywhere you wont be seen" Marvel commands.

Almost immediately everyone disappears and its just me and Marvel left in the room. Three knocks come from the front door and me and marvel place our drinks on the fireplace and race to the door. I end up at the door first and I grab the brass doorknob and swing the door open to reveal a officer in a dark blue uniform.

"Hello" I speak up first cause from the looks of it Marv beside me is probably shitting his pants right now because his parents don't even know about this party.

"There's been noise complaints from many people living in this survey." The officer speaks loud and clear. I'm trying so hard not to breath on the cops face because he will probably smell the alcohol on my breath.

"Sorry we were playing X-box and we might have gotten carried away" I say as I look down at the ground trying to make it look believable. Jesus Christ Cato you couldn't of came up with a better lie? But it must have worked because what the officer says next surprises me.

"It's okay boys, just don't let it happen again" He says as he nods his head toward Marvel and I and heads towards his cruiser.

After the cop left we called people out of their hiding places and after a couple hours everyone went home. Through out the whole party I was looking for the girl marvel explained to me. Dark hair. Grey eyes. Delicate body. "She's not like most girls" Marvel told me.

As I walk up the familiar porch of my foster parents house and pass through the door without anyone noticing. Once I'm up in my room I go over to close my window but something catches my eye.

There's a girl about my age sitting on the windowsill with her legs hanging out the window. As is feeling my eyes on her she snaps her head in my direction and for the first time in my life my heart stops.

My eyes drift over her and take in her appearance, dark blue skinny jeans with a studded belt holding them up and a white shirt under a black leather jacket covering her curvy body. Never have I seen something so simple look so beautiful on a girl. As my blue eyes fly up to her face I see she has her hair pulled over so its resting on her one shoulder and her lips,coral colour and plump just begging me to kiss them. She has a sprinkle of freckles across the bridge of her nose but the most striking thing about this flawless girl is her steely grey eyes, they have a fire burning within. Something that tells me she might just be as broken as me.

It's her. This is the girl Marvel was talking about. Boy was he right. I feel as if someone kicked me in my stomach and I've had the breath knocked out of me. She's perfect.

* * *

**This is my favourite story I have written so far! I hope you think so too. Please review 3**

**I just wanted to know... Is there any guys reading this?**


	3. Chapter 3

_"Mama. I think I'm gay" I say with tears rushing down my face. _

_"Whys that?" My mother asks with concern laced in her tone. She takes the dishcloth she holds in her hand and flings in over her shoulder and kneels down in front of me._

_"Because I keep my room straight. I like to cook with you, and I sort of think the colour pink is cool." I say with a little sniffle at the end._

_My mother breaths out a laugh. "Cato ,you've loved girls before Pre-K" She says. She then brushes her fragile hand threw my blond hair as she gives me a reassuring smile._

I shake my head trying to get rid of the tears that have built up as I thought about one of my favourite memories with my mom. That memory was from before my mother started getting into the drugs. It was nice at home even though father wasn't around anymore.

"Cato, you do know the bell wrung a couple minutes ago?" The teacher questions from the front of the class.

"Yeah. Umm sorry" I struggle to find the right words as I pick myself up from the desk and make my way to the door.

_Just another day. You can make it. _

"Hey look at that slut!" I hear a girl shout followed by high pitched snickers.

Looking around the hallways I see the girl from last night walking down the hall with her head down as a group of girls laugh at her response to being called a slut. I shake my head and begin to walk towards the school doors.

"Better a slut then a 40 year old virgin" I hear the famous voice of Clove Bennett over all the snickering and chuckling.

I smile as I open the door and walk outside. That girl always has something to say. But what I don't get is why those girls would call that girl a slut. _I have to learn her name. _I hear the door swing open behind me and footsteps walking up behind me. I don't turn around to see who it is I wait for them to pass me. The girl that was called a slut moments ago walks past me and I fight to remain at the pace I'm already walking.

_Just go for it Cato..._

I pick up my pace and walk beside her. Her hair is pulled back into a side braid and she wears something similar to what she was wearing yesterday.

"Hey" I greet

"Hey" She says still not looking up from the sidewalk.

"I never got to learn your name" I state as I look down at her. _She's so short compared to me its adorable._

"It's Katniss Everdeen" She says with a small broken smile. "My name's Cato Wallace" I say as I place a mirror image of her broken smile on my own face.

"Why didn't you say anything when they called you a slut?" I ask, trying to make conversation.

"My father" She starts but ends up closing her eyes and taking in a breath. Something has happened to her father. I know that kind of breath. The kind that catches in your throat, making you want to hide somewhere and wait until its alright to come out. When you close your eyes you can practically see all the memories you had with that person flash behind your eyelids. I get that every once and a while. It makes you feel like shit afterwards.

I just keep quiet knowing she needs the time. "He used to always say that you should never argue with stupid people, they will drag you down to their own level and beat you with experience" She finishes and afterwards a small smirk grows on her face.

I let a small chuckle pass through my lips as I look down at her. She must be at least 5 foot 4 because she's really short and petite compared to my broad shoulders and 5 foot 9 stature.

"Have you made any new friends?" I ask Katniss.

"Yeah two actually" She says while holding up two fingers

"What's their names maybe I know them" I say as I smile at her.

"Johanna Mason and Clove Bennett, you know them?" She asks as she peers up at me with her steely gray eyes I've come to admire.

"Yeah I know Clove she's pretty chill. But I don't really know Johanna that much." I say as I look around the street we've came upon. Our houses are just around the corner so I don't have that much time left to talk to Kat.

"Well maybe sometime we could all hang out" She says as she gives me a small smile that makes my heart skip a beat. Mamma was right I've always loved girls and some more then the others.

* * *

"Dude I got the hash brownies" Marvel says as he closes my bedroom door with his foot. He sets the plate with four hash brownies on my table and lays himself down on the bed beside me.

"Who'd you get them from?" I ask as I sit up and take hold of the plate.

"A friend of mine" He says as he places a smug smirk on his face.

I punch him in the arm as I remember him going out to see Blake Green the high school's weed supplier.

"Got 'em just for you" He says and I roll my eyes. He promised me some for Christmas last year and I only got them now.

* * *

Marvel ended up leaving around nine claiming he needed his "Sleep" but I know he went home to take care of his little sister. He's got a soft spot for that little girl, she's pretty lucky to have an older brother like Marv. Man, he even lets the little diva give him makeovers. I smile at the memories of his five year old sister applying some sort of make-up to marvels cheeks.

I move over towards my window and see Katniss in her room with the window open. Her speakers are blaring a heavy metal song as she hangs up posters on the wall.

I open the window and let the cold autumn breeze rush over my skin. I decide to leave the window open so I can hear the music play from Katniss' room.

* * *

"Hey Cato" I hear a familiar voice from outside my window.

I move over to my window and I see Katniss sitting on her windowsill once again.

"Hey" I speak as I take in her appearance, she's still wearing her pajamas even though its five o' clock at night and she has a huge sweater that makes it look like some fabric swallowed her up.

"Maybe you should put on a shirt?" She questions as she raises an eyebrow.

I look down as I see I'm only wearing my jeans. "What do these distract you?" I ask while waving a hand infront of my six pack. Katniss' grey eyes stick themselves to my body and I fight to keep my laugh at bay.

Katniss shakes her head, trying to gather up any dignity she can find and answers; "N-No" She says as cheeks turn a light pink, almost like a flower that has just bloomed.

When I was small my mother tried to teach me all the colours there was outdoors.

_We sat at the beaches edge on a picnic blanket as we watches the tides roll in. "Blue" She said, pointing to the sky.  
And "Blue" again a second time but she points at the water below. "Yellow, right mamma?" I ask as I lift my small arm up and point at the big round sun that's floating just above the horizon. "Aren't you a smart little boy" My mother says as she pokes my stomach. I let out a small giggle at the contact. "Look at the time, its almost little Cato's bedtime." Mamma teases as she looks down at the watch she always has chained onto her fragile wrist. "Nooo" I call out, being the little kid I was I never wanted to go to bed. _

"Cato?" Katniss calls as she waves her hands around, trying to grab my attention.

"Sorry, I umm, I have to go" I say as I shut the window and draw the curtains closed.

I sink down on the wall beside the window and place my head in my hands. That memory hit me like a blow to the stomach, efficiently knocking the wind out of my chest. That memory was so long ago, I wish my mother was still here. She'd be in the kitchen while she washed the dishes and I dried them and placed them in the correct spots in the cabinets.

_It was so long ago... things have changed._

* * *

**I was sort of stuck with how I should start this story so I ended up using the idea from "Same Love" - Macklemore and Ryan Lewis ft. Mary Lambert. I own nothing from that awesome song. Damn I just love it haha. I don't own the hunger games either. I love that too! **

**Hope you loved my new chapter. :)**


	4. Wake me up when September ends

_"Momma, look what I made" I scream as I rush into the kitchen to see my mother mixing something in a bowl. _

_"What did you make?" She says as she puts down the bowl and wipes her hands on the flower stained apron. _

_"I made a picture of us" I say as I unfold the paper I held in my hand. _

_My mother bends down so she's at my level and I pass the paper over. She holds it in her delicate hands and examines the paper. I look over her shoulder and see two stick figures, one of me with blonde hair and blue dotted eyes and another of my mother with the same features. Underneath is the kindergarten teachers neat writing. "Cato and his mother" My mom leans over and kisses me on the forehead. _

_"It's wonderful, dinner will be ready soon so don't go to far" She says as she hangs the picture on the fridge with two magnets. _

When I was little I always loved to paint pictures for my mother, even though I wasn't the best at it I still loved to see the smile that would always dance across her features. I take in a deep breath and pull the covers off of me. I swing my legs over the side of my bed and begin to get ready for school.

I kick my gym bag out of the way from yesterday and pass through my bedroom door without any troubles. I walk down the stairs and with every step I take the aged stairs creek under my weight. I hear the faint noise of the coffee machine in the kitchen indicating that my foster mother, or Laurie as I refer to her as is up and about already. She stays at home while her husband, Kale leaves to work at the local butchers mart. The job doesn't pay much but they are able to make ends meet. What sickens me is that Laurie gets paid for fostering me. I was never told the exact amount but she gets paid a good chunk of money every other week.

"Hey Cato" Sings Laurie as I appear in the kitchen doorway.

"Hi" I nod towards her then make my way towards the stainless-steel fridge.

I end up grabbing an apple and leaving for school after saying good-bye to Laurie.

* * *

_There she is..._

I lean back in my chair as I examine the girl on the other side of the classroom. Her hair has been carelessly tossed over one shoulder as she taps her pencil on the desk she sits in.

If I was caught staring at Katniss I would be stripped of my bad boy reputation and left to be claimed by the geeks that rule the front row seats in all subjects. It took me three long years to build that reputation and it could be taken away in a split second if I were to be caught doing this foolish deed. I shake my head and run both my hands through my hair. How hard can it be to just ignore this beautiful girl?

* * *

Turns out its actually pretty hard. Every passing moment I find myself looking for the stunning brunette, always ending up empty handed. I sit at a vacant lunch table inside the air conditioned cafeteria with my elbows resting on the table behind me as I look around the room waiting for my eyes to catch a glimpse of the girl.

"Hey Cato, who are you looking for?" Marvels voice sounds behind me.

I turn so I'm sitting properly and face my friend.

"Nobody" I lie smoothly while I let my eyes wander around the cafeteria some more.

"Well it's got to be somebody important. I mean I haven't seen you like this since Sama-" Marvel cuts himself off when he was about to mention my girlfriend from sophomore year.

Samantha Johnson. That name wasn't allowed to resurface in my memories for awhile but this time I, in someway let it slip and the memories filled up my mind like a dam had been broken and its let the fresh water escape and it's now rushing in gallons per minute.

Samantha and I were inseparable ever since we met in freshman year. During sophomore year I had asked her if she wanted to meet me by the train stacks for a date. It was the worst mistake I ever made.

_"Hey Cato" Samantha says as she carries her jacket in one hand. The cool September air blew through her dirty blonde curls. She wore a long sleeve and a pair of dark blue jeans. __Even though she was a little over weight she was beautiful in my eyes. _

_"Hi Sam" I say as she comes to a stop beside me. She drops her jacket on the ground and pulls me towards the train stacks. _

_Being the stupid teenagers we were we ended up drinking a few beers that Sam had hid under her jacket. I heard the train's whistle far down the track and didn't think anything of it. Sam spread herself on the tracks and started to sing her favourite Green Day song "Wake me up when September ends" _

_"Cato can you be a dear and fetch my jacket?" She says with a British accent, she always used a one of those accents when she's had a little too much to drink. _

_I walk away from the tracks to grab her jacket not knowing the train was coming closer and closer with every step I took. _

_I turned around just in time to see Sam's shocked eyes turn towards the train that was now in front of her. _

_The next thing I knew ambulances and police surrounded the area and bombarded me with different questions. My mind spun and all I could see was blurred faces and the ambulances lights. But I could hear faint sound of the trains horn clearly._

_Samantha Johnson died September 1st while she sung her favourite song. And after that all I could think was "wake me up when September ends" _

It was my fault she's not here. I was the one who told her to meet me at the tracks.

"Cato, I'm sorry I didn't mean to bring her up" Marvel exclaims.

"It's fine" I whisper, even though I'm not.

* * *

**Guys, I was wondering if you had any advice for me. I'm starting a new school in one day and I am so panicked. I don't know anybody there.**

**I don't own the hunger games or any green day songs. **


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